Decathlete Tom Thorne dies at 74; Kansas, Missouri coach, pastor

The Rev. Thomas вЂњTomвЂќ Thorne

Masters decathletes and others are mourning the passing of the Rev. Thomas вЂњTomвЂќ Thorne, 74, who died Sept. 9 in Joplin, Missouri, the city of his birth. According to mastersrankings.com, he last competed in 2011. Obituaries say he died at Freeman West Hospital following a short illness. вЂњHe spent his life serving others through the church, public education, sports and community service,вЂќ said one obit. вЂњHe has taught in Chanute, Lawrence and Eureka, Kansas, before returning to Neosho in 1981. He then taught in the East Newton School system, owned and operated the Coaches Locker Sporting Goods Store in Neosho; worked for the Newton County Juvenile Department and coached in area schools, including Carthage and most recently, Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School. He was ordained as pastor of the First Congregational Church in 1985, where he currently served. He was a recipient of the Neosho Exchange Club Golden Deeds award and he was an accomplished Master decathalete, competing both nationally and internationally.вЂќ Memorial services are 10 a.m. Saturday at the Calvary Baptist Church in Neosho.

3 Responses

Stefan Waltermann - September 13, 2017

Tom was our team leader at the US vs UK meet during the 2012 Olympic Games in Oxford, England. . We had a little spiritual get-together at the start of the second day of competition. Tom lead into a few traditional church hymns with a surprisingly large number of our English friends joining in. He then sang Amazing Grace in Cherokee; I’ll never forget it
Tom was a someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible and decorous. Tom was a Mensch; he will be missed.

christel donley - September 14, 2017

Stefan, you wrote “my script” I remember so much about Tom and his wonderful way of treating and uniting athletes. Treating us to a party at his home after the competition – and everybody came!.
BUT MOST OF ALL: we all sang :Amazing Grace in English and he followed it with the “Cherokee version” I can see and hear him!
To Patty, our deepest sympathy, and for Tom: “Rest in peace”y! YOU truly contributed to our lives in the most gratifying way!!

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About Ken Stone

Ken Stone

Ken has followed track as an athlete, writer and web-master since the late 1960s, and saw most sessions of track and field at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He also attended the 1988, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Trials, the last three as a blogger and Patch correspondent. [More...]